The Yellow Holly

By Jove, I never thought I'd get that f

t ceremony. "I have just learned that your dear mother was at school with me," wrote Mrs. Ward in her most gushing style. "So you will see why I write informally. Do come." The "Do" was und

ain as a peacock, and anxious to shine and be admired among people worth knowing, this was a great grief to him. George took him to several houses, but Leonard did not seem to be a success, for after one visit he was never asked again, although h

shrewd innkeeper, had bought it from one of his customers--a drunken doctor meant for better things, but who had fallen on evil days. By judicious advertisement, and with the aid of many bought te

duty, arranged to enjoy herself. Mrs. Train spent the proceeds of the Trump Pill recklessly, and before her husband died she managed to get through the greater part of his wealth. Train settled an income of five thousand a year on his son, and let Mrs. Train do what she liked with the rest. Then he died, and Mrs. Train sent Leonard to Eton, afterward to college. When he was thus off her han

rd girl, so he might. Mrs. Ward does not approve of the match, so he might not. I wonder if there is a regu

e connected with the murder of Mrs. Jersey. Moreover, Leonard knew something which he had not mentioned to Brendon, and would not have mentioned it for the fashionable world. However, he had said nothing about George's history, and so far had kept faith. But Brendon saw that Leonard was no longer so pleased to see

s of a pretty woman like herself, would tell her more. Mrs. Ward was by no means reconciled to the possibility of Brendon marrying her daughter, and wished to find some scandal smirching George, that she might induce Dorothy to break the engagement. She would have utilized the tales about Lola and Brendon, but that she was not sure of her ground in this particular direction, and, moreover, having seen the Spanish dancer, feared lest so passionate a woman should make a

ho told him that Mrs. Ward would be down shortly. "It is only a sma

rendon here," said Leonard, thi

t the present time with his boo

y where a lady is concerne

but foolish young man. "I am not a woman of that sort, Mr. Train. I have no desire th

eatest

n the house where that tragedy

o holding his tongue, he knew his weakness for babbling well enough, and found it easier to abstain from talking altogether than to be temperate in speech. "Brendon certainly

ant experience," said

ng his face. "I shall never

the West End," remarked Dorothy

ared Vane's physique disadvantageously with that of Brendon. The one man was a splendid specimen of humanity, the other a peevish hypochondriac. Walter Vane had been "fast" in his time, and although he was not yet thirty he was now suffering from the consequences of his rapid ways. He was in the twenties, y

ng no notice of Leonard. "I think there will be snow. I

e," said Dorothy, i

ght no other word. He then continued his conversation with Miss

dances," said Leonard

answered. "My mother went to see her, an

e did not like this conversation, as it offended her taste. But the next words of Vane made her pause. "I

ok. She wondered what Vane would say did he know that the man he criticised so freely

e every one else. They say

orothy, the blood r

y deeper feeling existed. Mrs. Ward had kept that sort of thing from him, as she did not want Vane to leave the coast clear for Brendon. And Vane was so egotistical that he never for one moment dreamed that

nt, "are you all here? Mr. Vane, I am pleased. Mr. Train, how good of you to come.

ard delivered him to Dorothy and took Vane into a shady corner. "Dinner will be ready soon," she

e to nurse my appetite carefully, you k

ice, with money made out of pigs or whisky or something," said

hing, but Mi

all that sort of thing. I suppose it was something about books, or philosoph

hat Brendon--you know

s. Ward, viciously, an

eet on Lola Velez, and Miss Ward fired up.

wings like those animals before the flood. She thinks he is goody-goody. I'm sure he's dull enough. Lola Velez! oh, a perfect dea

ing the engagement. Before Vane could make any more remarks the gong thundered. Mrs. Ward rose at once, rather glad of the stoppage of conversation. She liked a lively man, and Vane was a fool. But for all that she was quite prepared to give him Dorothy

d get through such a dull evening. Luckily, Vane mentioned that his grandfather had expressed his intent

rawing off her gloves. "Such a delightful old gent

shop the other day,"

ing! And what did

ing, but he l

Ward, "bishops a

ful," said Dorothy,

ber the Bishop of Timbuctoo, or Central Africa, or some of those places one never heard of, telling me

nd mosquitoes didn't

w. He was just thirty

he was an

I mean?--at dinner, too. I mean he was young in years and ol

Leonard, while Dorothy labored to entertain Vane. "It makes one so popular if one's chef can always be relied upon. I have known a woman's position ruined by inattention to the kitchen. One can break a

all that is good a

a really nice thing like that. Of course he's a great friend of

? He would have answered an ordinary person rudely, being wearied of being questioned, but Mrs. Ward, having the key of the door which led into the fashionable world, was to

idly, yet with a keen eye on the change in

," replied Tr

ne suspect

The police are

tone of contempt. "They never do anything exce

Mrs. Ward? Why shou

face that one would think a brilliant detective would have. Yo

was asleep. I know no

ndescension in asking Leonard to dinner was wasted. "But you men ar

therly old

y nurse. Was Mr. Brend

him into the

Brendon get on well together? I want to know because you see, Mr. Train, he admires Dorothy, and it is

head the claret was beginning to take effect, "b

of his indiscretion had he not been looking at his plate. "Oh, how very

d Leonard, "but at a piece of y

igned surprise. "Why, of course Mr. Brendon

ld me, Mr

e, you know, and a man who lives in Devonshire sent me a bunch. Dorothy mentioned that Mr. Brendon had begged for a piece.

d Train; "she turned white, and we

ive any ex

she recovered, and n

eemed disappointe

es on her flushed face--"what else

be upset. We must continue this conversation, Mr. Train. It is really most interesting. But you literary men are quite fascinating. After dinner in the drawing-room, Mr. T

o be silent on this especial point; but he nevertheless thought it wiser to hold his tongue about all that had taken place in Amelia Square on the night of the murder. Warned in this way by his mother sense, Train took no more wine, but af

glance at Leonard from a pair of keen gray eyes and summed him up at once as a fool. But Lord Derrington had been a diplomatist many years before, and knew that even fools are sometimes useful. Moreover, he had lea

, with a nod. "You go in for boo

n, who stood before him like a rabbit before a snake, compared him in his own mind with Becky Sharp's friend,

ittle," said Le

ng," said Derrington. "There are far too

may co

is the use of them? Bah! In my you

," said Mrs. Ward, laughing. "Every one is as sharp

ton. "You-give-me-so-much-and-I'll-let-y

reat deal of phil

ington; "only makes people lazy. People are too sentimenta

imagine him slaying and burning and doing all manner of evil things. He wondered how Brendon ever came to have such a villainous grandfather. It was on the tip of his tongue to say something about Bren

ge came face to face

ype="